BIG EIGHTH INNING SINKS JACKS IN SERIES FINALE

Sunday, March 1

Conway, Ark.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

4-7

Central Arkansas

7-5

South Dakota State U

Central Arkansas

South Dakota State baseball player Nic Werk swings at a pitch in action against Omaha during the 2025 season.

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

3/1/2026 8:36:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas scored six times in the bottom of the eighth inning to come away with a 9-3, series-clinching victory over South Dakota State in nonconference baseball action Sunday afternoon at Bear Stadium.

In winning the weekend series two games to one, UCA improved to 7-5 overall. The Jackrabbits dropped to 4-7 on the season.

The UCA outburst came after the Jackrabbits tied the game at 3-all on a solo home run by Carter Taylor in the top of the eighth inning. Taylor's team-leading second homer of the season cleared the left-field fence and was his second hit out of the six the Jackrabbits collected in the game..

UCA sent 11 men to the plate in the decisive home half of the eighth against four different Jackrabbit pitchers, starting with an infield single by Jayden Sloan. SDSU reliever Jacob Sjuts was injured on the play and gave way to Kaden Rylance, who walked two batters — one intentionally — to load the bases after a sacrifice bunt. The Bears executed a successful squeeze play to score the go-ahead run and the second run of the inning scored on a hit batter with the bases loaded.

The Bears' lead grew to 8-3 when Zach Adams plated two with a single to right field off Logan Campbell. The ensuing throw to third base hit the runner, allowing a third run to score on the play. Sloan capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

Adams was 3-for-4 to lead UCA's nine-hit attack.

SDSU starter Sam Novotny turned in his second consecutive solid start as he pitched into the sixth inning. After giving up an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning, Novotny held UCA off the board until Jagger Schattle lined a two-run homer off the right field foul screen to give the Bears a momentary 3-2 lead.

Novotny scattered seven hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter.

The Jackrabbits scored their first two runs of the game in the top of the fifth when Nate Wachter walked with the bases loaded and Taylor was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat. SDSU would leave the bases loaded in the inning after also stranding a man in scoring position in each of the first four frames.

UCA reliever Hunter Alexander earned the victory after striking out four over the final three innings.

ON DECK
The Jackrabbits return to action Wednesday at Nebraska. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at Hawks Field in Lincoln, Nebraska.

NOTES

UCA leads the all-time series, 11-4
SDSU third baseman Nolan Grawe had his streak of reaching base safely, which dated back to last season, end at 27 games
Taylor is batting a team-best .444 (16-for-36) this season
Campbell made his team-leading seventh appearance — all of which have been in relief

-GoJacks.com-